Combined shaft-support and coupling.



Patented Oct. 23, I900. W. E. MURBARGEB.

RT A

ND COUPLING.

0014mm) SHAFT suPPo Y (Application filed Feb. 7,

(No man.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OF IC IVILLIAM EnM U RBARGER, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA COMBINED S HAFT-S'UPPORT AND COUPLING;

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,218, dated-October 23, 1900.

Application filed February 7,1900. Seria1No.4,3 '78- '(NomodelJ To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. MURBAR- GER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a Combined Shaft-Support, Antirattler, and Bolt- Retainer, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a combined shaft-support, antirattler, and bolt-retainer for vehicles which shall be simple in construction, eifectivein use, and which can be manufactured and sold at comparatively small cost, the particular construction and arrangement of the parts being such that they can be readily and conveniently applied to a vehicle without requiring a change in the construction of the thin-coupling or shaft in connection with which the device is adapted to be used. V

The invention consists of a plate-spring held in place by the clip of the thill-coupling, said spring having a forwardly-projecting portion which engages the thill-eye and a rearwardly-projecting portion curved upward over the axle and adapted to engage a plate secured to the shaft, together with a bolt-retainer carried by the forward partof the plate:

spring and provided with a depending mem-' her or members which overlap the ears of the thill-coupling and hold the bolt or pin in place.

The invention contemplates the use of the antirattler and bolt retainer without the shaft-supporting attachment, and therefore consists, further, in the particular details of construction and combination of parts, all as hereinafter fully described, and specifically set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which like letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a combined shaft-support, antirattler, and bolt-retainer constructed in accordance with my invention and illustrating the preferred form of construction. Fig. 2 is a side elevation illustrating a modification in the construction of the interlocking parts of the shaft-supporter. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the device which forms the boltretainer. Fig. -i is a detail'view of theplate which is attached to the shaft and forms part of the shaft-supporter."

' In carrying out my invention I employ a plate or strip A of spring metal, one end of which is bent to form the antirattler, while the other end is bent to form the shaft-support. In shaping this. plate or strip an intermediate portion is left straight to be engaged by the binding-plate of the clip of the thillcoupling to hold the device in place, said straight portion being designated by the letter a. From this straight portion the forward member A of the spring-metal plate A is curved downward in the segment of a circle, extended upward between the ears of the thill-coupling B, and the end a bent to en gage the eye 0 of the thill-iron 0, against which it bears with sufficient force to prevent rattling. The rear member A of the plate or strip A is bent downward and curved upward over the axle, forming a bow-spring, the terminal portion of which is shaped to engage a plate secured to the shaft D. In Fig. 1 the end of the member A is bent back upon itself and shaped to present teeth of, which engage an arm 6, projecting from a plate E, secured to the shaft by a screw or bolt F,-while in Fig. 2 the end of said member A is curved, as shown at a to engage a similarly-curved arm g, projecting rearward from a plate G, attached to the shaft.

The plates E and G are provided in their rear side Wit-htransverse serrations, and the bolt which passes through a slot in said plates is provided with a small projection under its head,whi'ch engages said serrations to thereby securely hold the plate in an adjusted position upon the shaft.

The device which retains the bolt or pin of the thill-coupling in place is made up of a plate bent or shaped to present a straight portion h, from the upper end of which projects forwardly an arm it, having depending side members W, the lower end of the device being curved, as shown at h The body portion h of the bolt-retainer is provided with a vertical slot, through which a screw vLpasses for attaching the said device to theforward member of the spring A. When this device is in place upon the forward member of the spring A, the arm h extends across the upper side of the ears of the thill-coupling, and

the depending members 7L2 are disposed against the outer sides of said ears, while the body portion h extends down between the ears, and the lower end may be, and preferably is, provided with the spring portion h, which engages the curved portion of the forward member of the spring A. It will be noted that the bolt-retainer can be slid upward upon the antirattler or forward member of the spring A and will expose the bolt-opening through the ears and thilliron, and after a pin S is inserted in lieu of a bolt the retainer is slipped down to its normal position and will retain the pin in place, thereby forming a perfectly-secure thill-coupling. In case a bolt is used with the thill-coupliug only one depending member 7L2 will be required, for the head of the bolt will prevent longitudinal movement in one direction, while the said depending member overlapping said head will prevent withdrawal of the bolt, and thereby hold it in place without the use of a nut. The bolt or pin retainer provides a means for positively holding the bolt or pin of the thill-coupling in place, and though the spring portion It will hold said retainer in its normal position it may be more securely held by a screw 3 at the lower end of the slot in said retainer.

The combined shaftsupport, antirattler, and bolt-retainer as a whole forms a very useful attachment for a vehicle and can be readily and conveniently applied to an ordinary thill-coupling and will perform the threefold purpose of supporting. the shafts, preventing the parts of the coupling from rattling, and securely holding the pin or bolt in place. It is obvious, however, that the antirattler and bolt or pin retainer could be used without the rear member forming the shaftsnpport in case the said shaft-support feature is not desired, and therefore the several features are capable of independent uses. It is also apparent that changes or modifications could be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, and I therefore do not wish to limit my protection by patent to what is herein precisely shown and described, but desire to reserve the right to make such modifications or changes as may come within the spirit and scope of my claims.

I claim 1. In combination with a thill-coupling,of a flat spring secured thereto and extending upward between the ears of the thill-coupling, a plate slidably connected to said flat spring and having a depending member or members adapted to retain the bolt or pin of the thillcoupling in place, and means substantially as shown for holding said plate in position upon the spring.

2. In combination Witha thill-coupling,of a flat spring secured to the thill-coupliug and extending upward between the ears thereof to engage the thill-eye, said flat spring having a straight portion at the lower end of which the spring is curved abruptly outward, forming a shoulder; a plate slidably connected to the straight portion of the spring and provided at its upper end with depending members extending over the ears of the thill-coupling; and an outwardly-curved spring portion at the lower end of the slidable plate adapted to engage the shoulder of the spring and hold said plate in position, substantially as shown and for. the purpose set forth.

3. The combination with the chill-coupling and shaft, of a combined shaft-support, antirattler and bolt-retainer, comprising a flat spring secured to the lower end of the thillcoupling, said spring having a rear member extending upward over the thill-coupling to engage and support the shaft and a forward member curved upward between the ears of the thill-coupling to engage the thill-eye; a plate slidably mounted on the forward member of the spring, and a projection on said plate adapted to engage a shoulder on said spring, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

WILLIAM E. MURBARGER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES A. BEARD, LoUIs D. BEARD. 

